by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

The NFL is backing the game officials who made the controversial non-call at the end of Monday's game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots.

Dean Blandino, the NFL's vice president of officiating, said Tuesday the crew made a "tight judgment call" when they decided to wave off a flag in the end zone on Tom Brady's pass intended for tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was being grabbed by Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. Brady's pass was intercepted by safety Robert Lester as the clock hit zero.

Blandino, in an interview with NFL Network, said the officials used "proper mechanics" to discuss the call, and were correct in deciding that Kuechly's "restriction" of Gronkowski occurred at the same time as Lester's interception.

"There was contact, but there is contact on a lot of passing plays down the field," Blandino said. "The issue isn't the contact. The issue is the restriction - did it occur prior to the ball being touched. The officials made a tight judgment call and they determined the restriction occurred just as the ball was being touched."

Blandino stated several times that this was a judgment call, but said that when viewed at full speed, it was correct. The officiating crew will not be downgraded based on that call, Blandino said.

"I wouldn't say they were wrong," Blandino said. "They have to make this call. They used proper mechanics. They got together after the play to determine that, in their judgment, that the contact occurred simultaneous with the ball being intercepted."

The Patriots - and millions of NFL fans watching on television - received no explanation from the crew to why the flag was picked up. ESPN's officiating analyst, Gerry Austin, quickly joined the Monday Night Football broadcast and backed the officials, saying Brady's pass was "uncatchable."

Blandino, in his explanation on Tuesday, did not mention if the pass was catchable or not.